As to whether the murder described in this article it is a ‘hate crime’ or not, if somebody murders me because I am a homosexual or even if they only think I am, then it is a hate crime because they would not murder me if I was not a homosexual or they did not think I was. To be forced to falsely claim that I am heterosexual in order to remain alive is to be forced to live a life in terror, just as Jews under the Nazis tried desperately to disavow their Jewishness, likewise for homosexuals. That is why such crimes are loaded up as more serious. The same goes for race, sinistrality and gender, because neither I nor they can change the way we were born, and what’s more, no-one should be in the business of murdering us for these reasons, even if we could change.

Of course, not all homosexuals are decent people by any means, but let me point out that prisons the world over are full of a preponderance of heterosexual criminals who are no more decent. You will find good and bad in every demographic. When you look at lifetime high achievers, you will discover that many of us are right up there with the best.

It also provides civil remedies for victims, and has reporting requirements, as well. So there are multiple adverse consequences for victims when that law is not enforced.

Due to the fact that DC is not a state, responsibility for enforcing DC’s hate crimes law, as well as most of DC’s criminal statutes, falls upon President Obama through his U.S. Department of Justice (Attorney General Eric Holder) and its U.S. Attorney’s Office for DC (U.S. Attorney for DC Ronald Machen).

It could very well be that USAO-DC needs additional resources to prosecute local hate crimes– as they did in the past– due to the fact that this DC office has been tasked to deal with greater homeland security cases in the last 10 years since 9/11.

Whatever the case, no one is trying to make a ‘federal case’ out of DC’s hate crimes law, since enforcing it IS, already, the responsibility of the federal government. The ultimate responsibility for enforcing DC hate crimes law falls upon Attorney General Holder, and of course, his boss, President Obama.

Like all Americans, LGBT visitors come to DC to see and experience the unique sites only our nation’s capital offers– as well as its rich, diverse LGBT night life. Whether we’re talking about LGBT visitors to DC, or DC’s own LGBT residents, we all deserve to be free from being assaulted or being killed for who we are.

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Even if the police listed the incident as a hate crime, the final decision on whether to charge Poth with a hate crime is made by the United States Attorney’s office, which prosecutes most cases in the city involving a violent crime.

The city’s hate crimes law calls for charging a person with committing a hate crime if he or she commits a violent act against another person based on the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or several other factors such as race, religion, or ethnicity.
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We in DC are routinely seeing a version of this MPD/ USAO-DC Kabuki dance in the wake of every major LGBT-related assault and/or homicide. Mixing metaphors, it’s rather like they’re playing ‘Good Cop/ Bad Cop’ to throw DC’s LGBT investigative newshounds off their scent.

Sure, most of well understand that USAO and MPD can not answer too-detailed questions regarding pending cases. But that excuse only goes so far. MPD and USAO-DC can answer more fundamental, generic questions having to do with their respective organizations overall performance records and procedures. DC’s residents and hate crimes victims deserve to know this information, after all.

Some of us remember when DC’s USAO under Janet Reno’s tenure as U.S. Attorney General was very proactive in educating DC’s citizenry regarding their rights and responsibilities regarding DC’s hate crimes law– as well as directing USAO-DC to pursue its criminal violators. Likewise, we remember when hate crimes criminals in DC were perceived as being arrested and charged under MPD Chief Charles Ramsey’s tenure as MPD Chief of Police.

DC has had its tough hate crimes law for going on 25 years, now. So…

… Why isn’t the Obama Administration enforcing DC’s Hate Crimes Law (‘Bias-Related Crimes Act’)?

… The nation’s top cop is Attorney General Eric Holder. He is also USAO-DC’s boss. Is he monitoring USAO-DC’s performance with respect to prosecution of hate crimes committed in DC? Does USAO-DC need more resources to adequately prosecute DC hate crimes?

… Why isn’t the U.S.Attorney’s Office for DC perceived as adequately PROSECUTING the numerous hate crimes cases we are repeatedly seeing in DC?

–Exactly how many cases have USAO-DC prosecuted in the last year? The last 2 years? 5 years? 10 years?

… Why isn’t MPD under Chief Lanier perceived as adequately CHARGING the numerous hate crimes cases we are repeatedly seeing in DC?

– Exactly how many cases has MPD arrested and charged n the last year? The last 2 years? 5 years? 10 years?

– How many DC hate crimes cases have been reported to the FBI as is required under DC law? How many arrests did MPD make in those caes? Did USAO-DC prosecute those cases? And how many resulted in convictions, jail time, etc.?

And BTW…
What’s the status of the spate of anti-LGBT hate crimes in March? Or have those conveniently slipped off MPD’s and USAO’s radar screens?